Yolo supervisors move forward with Esparto rec center, pool

Supervisors gave a cautious nod this week to a long sought-after project to bring ball fields, basketball courts, a swimming pool and other recreational amenities to the Esparto region.

The Esparto Community Park and Aquatic Center was first proposed over a decade ago, and supporters say it is sorely needed in that area given the limited services there.

The next step before the Board of Supervisors, during its regular meeting Tuesday, was to decide whether to approve a nearly $2.9 million grant from the state. Supervisors eventually did so, unanimously and to applause.

Before the vote, however, they wanted assurance that approving the contract wouldn't leave the county exposed should voters in the region fail to pass an assessment under Proposition 218 in order to pay for maintenance costs.

"It sounds like a great project," began Supervisor Jim Provenza. But he added, "We're depending on the 218 process to be successful for ongoing operations and maintenance. Now the contract runs through 2041 ... So if we enter into this contract and construct the facility, we as the county would be obligated to maintain it up until 2041. So it's important to have a source" of funding in advance.

In response to those concerns, Regina Espinoza, who manages county service areas, said that "we would not move forward with construction or even spending ... unless we did have Prop 218 in place."

"I would want an absolute condition," Provenza reiterated. "We have to be sure that there's guaranteed funding."

Espinoza said there would be -- and that given those safeguards, the county would not be exposed by Tuesday's action to approve the grant contract for $2,896,000.

She also said the county needs that approval by Oct. 1 "in order to be in the queue" for the grant, which comes from the state Department of Parks and Recreation. The money would go towards purchasing the property and building the facility on behalf of the Madison Esparto Regional County Service Area -- one of several "CSAs" that Espinoza manages for Yolo County.

Only after voters approved an assessment to pay for it, Espinoza said, would the land be bought or construction begin.

Under Proposition 218, passed in 1996, local governments cannot levy property assessments to finance projects without voter approval of more than 50 percent.

During the public comment period, several people spoke in favor of the project, and urged supervisors to approve the grant.

She said the ambitiousness of the project -- soccer and baseball fields, basketball courts, a walking trail and aquatic center -- deterred residents at first. But today, with $2.9 million nearly secured, "The tough part is done."

Once completed, the facility will have a "tremendous impact on our community, and on our kids in the rural areas that have absolutely no avenues" for recreation, said Kristine Stanfill, representing the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.

Aida Buelna, superintendent of the Esparto Unified School District, also spoke in favor, telling supervisors that "From its inception, we've been very supportive of this community park and aquatic center."

"I very strongly support this, and I have a lot of confidence in these ladies," said Supervisor Duane Chamberlain following those comments.

Other supervisors expressed support as well, with Don Saylor saying he believed the facility would benefit the region's residents "for generations to come."

Saylor made a motion to approve the grant, with language added to guarantee that no money would be spent on the project until an assessment was approved by voters. The motion passed 4-0, with Supervisor Mike McGowan absent.